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Institutional [Small] Award | Urban Arts Architecture

Jury comments: This community project in a small town in the mountains of British Columbia reimagines the meaning of ‘communityinvestment’. With a community-centred procurement focus, the project was designed to optimize the social and economic benefits for those living and working within a 100-mile radius of the site and, as such, creates a new ‘recipe’ based on the locally-available ingredients of materials, technology and craft skills.

The village of Radium Hot Springs Is located in the mountainous southeast corner of British Columbia. The new Community Hall and Library occupy a prominent corner in the centre of the village, overlooking the Legends Park kettle hole.

Designed as the “100 mile” building, the project maximizes the use of local materials and trades in the Columbia Valley. The project goals were to: support economic sustainability through a unique project process that would maximize the use of local resources, both material and human; demonstrate the use of renewable resources and innovative replicable building systems; and create a building that would respond to the micro-climate of the site.

Critical to the success of the project was an integrative design process that identified local materials, resources and labour, thereby dramatically reducing the life cycle embodied energy and overall carbon footprint of the development. The design process resulted in a building that maximized the use of local wood fibre, utilizing approximately 288 cubic metres of wood products harvested from woodlots within 50 kilometres of the site and processed at the local Canfor mill just one kilometer away.

The structure comprises dowel laminated timber (DLT) panels combined with glulam posts and beams. DLT is a mass timber structural panel constructed of standard dimensional lumber, friction-fit together with hardwood dowels, not requiring the use of nails, screws, or adhesives.

This combination results in a structural system with a high potential for demountability, adaptability and reuse. Much of the material fabrication was carried out locally, including the panels whichwere prefabricated off-site in Golden, 60 kilometres north of Radium, and transported to the site in a choreographed sequence to maximize efficiency. The cladding was milled by a local mill and charred in Brisco, eight kilometres from the site.

The building is organized and oriented to maximize passive strategies with a long linear form on the east-west axis, permitting natural daylighting and cross ventilation. Strategically located roof overhangs control solar exposure.

Window locations are carefully calibrated to capture the views of the mountains and connect to the park while maintaining less than 40% window-to-wall ratio for energy efficiency.

PROJECT CREDITS

Client:Village of Radium Hot Springs

Architect:Urban Arts Architecture

Civil Engineer:Core Group Consultants

Electrical Engineer:Applied Engineering Solutions

Mechanical Engineering:Rocky Point Engineering Ltd.

Structural Engineer: Equilibrium Canada

General Contractor:Ken Willimont

Landscape Architect:Hapa Collaborative

Photos:Dave Best

PROJECT PERFORMANCE

Energy intensity (building and process energy) = 274 KWhr/m²/year

Energy intensity reduction relative to reference building = 36%

Regional materials (800km radius) by value = 80%

Lighting and acoustic panels are built into the roof panels. Uponor supplied PEX piping for the heating system consisting of air-source heat pumps and high-efficiency ViessmannVitodens 200-W boilers.

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Existing Building Upgrade Award | NORR Architects and Engineers

Jury comments: Now widely acknowledged as one of the cornerstones of a sustainable built environment, the renovation and repurposing of existing buildings conserves embodied energy, supports social sustainability and cultural continuity. This project carefully and cleverly reconciles the competing challenges of seismic upgrading of the structure, updating of building services and infrastructure and the constraints of heritage conservation.

This project transforms an insurance office building, consisting of a historic 1927 Beaux Arts landmark and a 1959 addition, into facilities for the House of Commons. The program includes parliamentary offices, multipurpose rooms, library of parliament facilities, cafeteria, ground floor retail space, security processing, as well as two levels of underground support facilities.

The transformation involved stripping the building back to its internal structural frame work, a complete building system replacement, seismic upgrades, heritage restoration, the insertion of a new more robust structural core and new multi-storey spaces.

The project achieved a four Green Globes rating through the preservation of the building core and shell, the reuse of the copper roof, stone and other materials, connection to the district energy plant, solar panels for domestic water pre-heating, heat recovery units, reduced water requirements, a rainwater cistern, a green roof, and room sensors to regulate temperature and light levels.

A sky-lit atrium brings natural daylight into the upper floors of the building reducing artificial lighting needs. A living wall biofilter provides a natural aesthetic, dampens noise, and cleans and humidifies the air in the ground floor lobby.

The repurposing of existing building stock rather than discarding and building new reflects the priorities of the federal government. The challenge was to rehabilitate the building in a manner that would ensure another 90 years of life while respecting its heritage aspects. While the existing material pallet of stone and bronze has stood up well over time, the mechanical, electrical systems, and exterior windows needed complete replacement and the seismic performance needed significant upgrading.

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Residential [Large] AWARD | Acton Ostry Architects Inc.

Jury comments: An innovative approach to high density urban living that takes advantage of Vancouver’s relatively mild climate to incorporate a courtyard typology to optimize the use of available site area. The project configuration promotes casual encounters and social interaction between residents and includes an accessible roof, with play space for children, raised planters for community gardening and a dog-walking area, providing a level of amenity that is rare if not unprecedented in a rental building.

Completed in March 2018, The Duke is a LEED Gold target, rental residential project designed under the City of Vancouver Rental 100 Secured Market Rental Housing Policy, which allows height and density limits in strategic locations in the city to be rezoned in exchange for provision of 100% rental housing.

Located near a busy transit-oriented node in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, the 15,260 m2, 14-storey, mixed-use project includes 201 rental units, with a small ground floor retail component, all compactly contained in an open-air atrium court building typology that is new to Vancouver.

In contrast to a traditional design approach that would typically feature a double-loaded corridor with units along both sides, the floor plan for The Duke instead features a single-loaded corridor with living units pushed to the outer edge of the site to create a central void space. Such a strategy substantially increases the number of units that can be accommodated on the site by maximizing the overall density within a prescribed 14-storey height limit.

A traditional double-loaded corridor approach would have made the project economically unviable as a rental property; whereas the strategic decision to push the units to the site perimeter made the development viable for rental housing.

The central void is transformed into a soaring, open-air circulation atrium over which a translucent Teflon canopy shields the space from the elements. The rental units are arranged around the perimeter of the trapezoidal-shaped site. This outdoor circulation space enables occupants to step out into a well-lit, weather protected environment designed to provide opportunities for residents to interact, even if only for a brief moment. An array of multi-coloured front doors further animates the central atrium space.

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Existing Building Upgrade Award | Perkins+Will

Jury comments: This major rehabilitation and revitalization project, driven by quantitative issues of obsolete infrastructure, poor energy performance and related carbon impacts, and an outdated working environment, has been addressed with aesthetic sensitivity and restraint. Innovative structural upgrades enabled the restoration of the integrity of this 1970s office tower by Arthur Erickson, while the 1930s centre building and its immediate surroundings have been transformed into valuable new public amenities.

Located just west of Parliament Hill in Downtown Ottawa, the Bank of Canada Head Office complex comprises 79,500m² of offices and operation spaces. The original Centre Building was built in the 1930s; the twin office towers and connecting atrium being added in the 1970s. Completed in 2017, this project included the comprehensive renewal of the existing complex, including some reconfigurations and additions to the program.

A new museum invites and educates the community about the Bank’s role in the Canadian economy. The pyramidal glass entrance pavilion and the enhanced public realm that surrounds it form an abstraction of the Canadian landscape and functions as an accessible, multi-faceted public realm throughout the year.

Major drivers for renewal were the performance and infrastructure deficits of the facility, energy upgrades and carbon reductions, and modernization of the workplace. Within the towers, floor plates and waffle slab ceilings were restored to their original open plan concept.

The renovated towers were designed to be modular, allowing for a diverse range of uses so that each contains a combination of private and collaborative spaces.

The Centre Building accommodates both offices and conference facilities, while the atrium provides a variety of social spaces.

The design looked to maintain as much of the existing building infrastructure as possible, to lower both costs and negative environmental impact. Passive design strategies include revealing floorplates, allowing for deeper daylight penetration and greater access to views to the exterior and atrium.

PROJECT CREDITS

Client:Bank of Canada

Architecture/Interior Team: Perkins + Will

Civil Engineer: Novatech Engineering Consultants

Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: BPA Engineering Consultants

Structural Engineer:Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Limited

Project Manager:CBRE Limited/Project Management Canada

General Contractor:PCL Constructors Canada Inc.

Landscape Architect:DTAH

Food Service/Commissioning Agent:WSP

Heritage Consultant : Evoq Architecture

Building Envelope:ZEC Consulting

Building Science: CLEB

Sustainability Consulting Team:Perkins + Will

Security:LEA

A/V:Engineering Harmonics

Acoustic:HGC

Cost Consultant:Turner & Townsend

Lighting:Gabriel MacKinnon/Perkins + Will

Code & Life Safety:Morrison Hershfield

Photos:Younes Bounhar

PROJECT PERFORMANCE

Energy intensity = 183 kWh/m² /year

Energy savings relative to reference building = 44%

Water consumption = 4,645L/occupant/year (based on 250 days operation)

Water savings relative to reference building = 35%

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Commercial/Industrial [Large] Award | Stantec

Evolv1 is a commercial office building targeting net positive energy and net zero carbon. In order to achieve this standard, the building must produce 105% of its own energy requirements. The 10,000m2, Class AAA building is located in the David Johnston Research + Technology Park, within Waterloo’s Idea Quarter.’ The goal of the project was to inspire development of regenerative buildings by producing an economically-viable prototype that works within the real market. The building is targeting LEED platinum certification and has been certified by the Canada Green Building Council as the first Zero Carbon Building in Canada.

A multipronged low energy design approach was used to meet the client’s environmental goals, including a ground source open loop geo-exchange system, that significantly reduces the heating and cooling loads, and photovoltaic panels installed by VCT Group to produce more energy than the building was going to consume.

The team used an Integrated Design Process (IDP), taking advantage of collaboration between different disciplines, considering the advantages and trade-offs between performance, user comfort and costs from an early stage.

The design team knew what was achievable technically, but had to find ways to make it feasible in the marketplace in order to ensure widespread impact. The team used a proprietary parametric modelling tool that enabled them to analyze thousands of design scenarios simultaneously.

The choice of site was also important; being on the University of Waterloo campus and thus able to leverage the university’s culture of innovation and attract young, tech-savvy tenants. Proximity to the new LRT station was also an advantage.

Reduction in water consumption relative to reference building under LEED = 69%

Recycled material content by value = 28%

Regional materials (800km radius) by value = 49%

Construction waste diverted from landfill = 82.5%

PROJECT CREDITS

Client:Cora Group

Architect/Landscape Architect: Stantec Architecture Ltd.

Civil/Elec/Mech/Structural Engineer: Stantec Consulting Ltd.

General ContractorMelloul-Blamey

Commissioning AgentCFMS West Consulting Inc

PhotosJesse Milns

A large PV array installed by VCT Group on the roof and in the parking lot helps the building to produce 105% of its own energy requirements.

Part of the cladding is slat wall panels made of öko skin from Sound Solutions and consists of glassfibre reinforced concrete that can be mounted horizontally or vertically on a substructure in a rainscreen system.

The geo-exchange system: Water, at a fairly constant at 10°C, is taken from the aquifer 160m below ground, filtered, and sent to a heat exchanger to provide heating and cooling to the building all year round.

Passive strategies were used to reduce energy consumption, followed by active strategies and efficient equipment such as Mitsubishi Electric AC units and fan coils

Jury comments: We hope this project marks the beginning of a new era in which the invisible infrastructure that has long-supported urban life is brought out into the daylight. Only through making infrastructure visible can we fully grasp and understand the implications of our linear systems of production, consumption, treatment and disposal. Alongside the learning opportunities provided by this facility, the volume of waste discharged into the ocean has been reduced by 90% compared to its predecessor and the bio-nutrient by-products can be used for industry and agriculture.

The Sechelt Water Resource Centre (SWRC) rethinks traditional municipal wastewater treatment. Instead of sequestering this essential service behind a locked chain-link fence, the transparent suburban facility reveals the mechanical and biological systems that clean wastewater, replacing the traditional ‘flush and forget about it’ systems with one that encourages the public to consider their role in the hydrological cycle.

In comparison to the facility it replaced, the SWRC discharges ten times fewer waste solids into the sea, boasts double the treatment capacity and nearly half the operational costs; and, captures resources (biosolids, heat, and water) for industry, parks, and agriculture. A sewage treatment plant, botanical garden and teaching facility in turn, the centre also provides a more humane work environment where employee duties include harvesting tomatoes and pruning roses.

Wastewater is treated and reused at its source instead of being pumped back and forth from an energy intensive pipe network, effectively closing the water loop. The SWRC replaces an existing packaged extended aeration plant with the first North American installation of the Organica Fed Batch Reactor System.

This system is set apart by the inclusion of microorganisms, which live among the roots of plants grown in a greenhouse above the reactors. The plant roots create a complex environment which fosters a biologically diverse community of insects and bacteria that consume the organic matter.

What is remarkable about this system is the elimination of noise pollution and odours associated with conventional treatment as well as its reduced footprint. The entire process is housed in a single building, which integrates with the surrounding neighbourhood and nearby Sechelt Marsh Park.

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Institutional [Large] Award | Diamond Schmitt Architects

The primary objective of the Okanagan College Trades Renewal and Expansion project was to enlarge and unify disparate elements of the Trades training program on the Kelowna, BC campus and to provide an exemplar of highly sustainable building design for students and future generations of trades workers.

The project comprises two distinct but integrated components: the renovation of 4,180 m² of existing trades workshops and the construction of a 5,574 m² addition. The three-storey addition frames a new courtyard, preserves a mature copper beech tree and positions the Trades Complex much closer to the main road, creating a new public face for the college.

The new building accommodates classrooms, group offices, labs, trade shops, a café, as well as student social and study space for the campus as a whole. The ambitious sustainable design targets were a driving force for the project. They include achieving Living Building Challenge petal certification including Net Zero Energy, LEED Platinum for the new addition, and LEED Gold for Existing Buildings Certification (LEED EB:O&M) for the renovation.

The application of bioclimatic design principles was critical to achieving the ambitious energy targets. These principles informed the orientation, footprint and massing of the building and maximized the potential for capturing solar energy and minimizing the need for conventional mechanical and electrical systems.

The south main entry. Steel cladding 7/8-in. corrugated profile supplied by Vicwest.

The central three-storey atrium brings daylight into the core and assists with natural ventilation. Alumicor supplied the operable windows 5000 Series Phantom Vents, 2300 Series skylights, and 2600 Series curtain walls.

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Architectural firm’s own office demonstrates sustainability on a smaller scale

Located in Saskatoon, one of the youngest and fastest growing cities in Canada, our new workplace had to embody a fresh identity and a progressive environmental agenda.

By Bertrand Bartake

In a province where sustainable design is not yet the norm, we wanted to lead by example. Project Nextus is in line to become the first LEED Platinum certified project in Saskatchewan. Located in a main floor storefront space, it puts active design principles on public display.

We established ambitious sustainability goals with an emphasis on staff health and comfort. We met those goals by planning and intelligent design first, and then by including technology if necessary. It was important for us to create an environment of choice for staff while inspiring creativity.

One of the main elements of the design solution is a locally fabricated parametric perforated steel ribbon that acts as a wayfinding element and connects the two levels of the workplace by framing the central circulation. The ribbon acts as an acoustic absorber and screens the main mechanical distribution before morphing into a magnetic and writable surface for the meeting areas. The collective efforts toward smart planning, functionality and ingenuity resulted in a workplace that is a manifestation of our core principles of context, collaboration and sustainability.

Large north-facing windows on the storefront provide abundant daylighting to the front of house spaces without the detrimental effects of glare. On the south side, a deep overhang enabled the design team to expand the area of glazing originally proposed for the base building, greatly increasing the daylight reaching the space. The use of 100% LED fixtures resulted in a power density improvement of more than 35% over the ASHRAE benchmark. Occupancy sensors throughout, including on task lights, further reduce the power consumption within the space.

Materials, finishes and furnishings were meticulously selected to reduce harmful airborne contaminants in the office. Over 30% of the furniture is reused. Radiant heating and cooling panels are combined with a dedicated outdoor air delivery system that provides 100% fresh air to the workplace. The collective strategies resulted in outstanding air quality in the project.

Active design principles played a key role in generating the layout of the workplace, with the social and amenity spaces in the centre and studio spaces around the periphery. The kitchen, print area and “living room” act as social condensers where staff working in different studios interact. A generously proportioned, open stair provides both vertical connection and an informal meeting place.

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Simon Fraser University’s new, five-storey Sustainable Energy and Engineering Building (SE3P) in Surrey, BC represents the University’s first major step in expanding beyond its Central City campus to become a distinct academic precinct within Surrey’s growing and revitalized City Centre neighbourhood.

By: Venelin Kokalov

Funded in part by the Federal Government’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund (SIF), this distinctive 16,000 square metre (173,000 square feet, excluding single-level underground parkade) facility is purpose-built to house the new Sustainable Energy and Engineering (SEE) program which offers an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to energy engineering education to support the clean tech, renewable and sustainable energy sector.

With a building program organized around a light-filled central atrium and sweeping staircase punctuated with trees at varying levels, SE3P comprises teaching and research labs; collaboration and study spaces; faculty, graduate and administrative offices; recreational rooms; undergraduate and graduate lounges, student services, and plant maintenance facilities. When fully operational, approximately 515 students and 60 faculty and staff will use the building. Its 400-seat lecture hall, situated on the southwestern portion of the ground floor, will serve the full SFU Surrey campus as well as the broader Surrey community.

The project’s fast-track delivery method necessitated a significant overlap in the design and construction phases. Utilizing prefabricated precast concrete elements for the façade became a key consideration, not only for ensuring long-term durability and reduced maintenance, but because it also enabled the building to be closed in quickly to meet the tight construction schedule.

As a result, SE3P’s compelling architectural expression is a unique façade composed primarily of framed alternating strips of energy-efficient, undulating precast concrete double wythe insulated panels and reflective glazing. Drawing inspiration from the geometric pattern of electrical circuit boards, the precast concrete panels also symbolize the technological subject matter that will be taught within the building.

By fabricating the exterior finish, thermal and moisture protection, and interior finish off-site as a single pre-assembled system, the project’s schedule, performance and energy-saving goals were maintained while mitigating on-site construction noise and debris. The heavier precast concrete elements with reflective glazing help to animate the façade and are juxtaposed with the transparent glazing at the building’s ground plane which extends the outdoor public realm into the interior public space, engaging the local community.

Venelin Kokalov is Design Principal at Revery Architecture Inc.

PROJECT CREDITS

Owner Simon Fraser University (SFU)

Architect Revery Architecture Inc.

Structural Engineer WSP

Mechanical Engineer The AME Consulting Group Ltd. (AME Group)

Electrical Engineer AES Engineering Ltd. (AES)

Building envelope Morrison Hershfield Ltd.

Precast Concrete Engineer Kassian Dyck & Associates

Contractor Bird Construction

Precast Concrete Supplier and Installation SureClad a subsidiary of Surespan Structures, a member of the Surespan Group

The building uses CES light sensors, manufactured by PLC Multipoint, Inc. of Everett, Washington. The sensors measure the amount of daylight in each space so that the building’s Energy Management System can minimize the use of artificial lighting, saving energy and money while creating optimal work environments.

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